Life in a Magnet

I have a new magnet that I just love.  It shows a couple out of the 1950's.  She's scraping off dirty dinner dishes as she says to her husband, "That lobotomy really did wonders for my morale...no more crazy feminist talk from me!" John thinks it’s really funny, too.  Some people just give me blank or nonplussed looks when I show it or tell them about it. It's on my refrigerator close to a prayer and some spiritual thoughts.  I'm sure that to some the sentiment on the magnet and the spiritual words are at odds. To me, it expresses a lot about who I am.

I've always felt strongly about women having the world as open to them as men.  That doesn't mean I think we're the same in every way.  It's more about being heard and treated with respect.  Being patronized is very different from being respected. 

John and I have always approached our almost 29 year marriage as a team.  We compromise or occasionally we choose to give deference to each other out of love when it’s something important to one of us.  But it's usually small stuff when you look at the big picture.  The point is that neither of us rules the roost.  It makes having fun and laughing at ourselves so much easier.  Relationships where one of the spouses has all or most of the power disturb me.  And it's just as true when the woman is the one spouting all the rules.  Where is the balance in the relationship?

I don't believe God wants us to be puppets on a string.  Sometimes walking the spiritual path is hard if we are true to how we are to act and treat others.  But those choices need to be freely made, not the result of an earthly authority figure saying that every step  in life is a series of black and white rules to be followed.  We were given consciences for a reason.  That means we need to learn, pray, think.  Guidance from those who have more learning or life experience can be very helpful.  But when I hear the beep-beep-beep going off from the hierarchy, I know it’s time to go to my quiet place to be still and listen.